Other Crap

Lawrence O'Donnell reveals that the Valerie Plame outing was done by top White House mastermind Karl Rove.

• I don't know if O'Donnell actually knows because - well, frankly, because he's pretty much of a windbag - but if he's right it could be jolly fun! The maximum possible charge in this case would be treason. The punishment for treason can include the death penalty, so the Democrats will undoubtedly indulge in some hilarious mischief with this.
• I think a public hanging of Karl Rove for treason would be great for the economy. Think of the pay-per-view. Maybe sixty million households at fifty bucks a pop - that's three billion dollars! And what about the product placement charges? Imagine this: "Is there anything you would like to say before the executioner does his job?" "Yes, could I have one last Coke? Coke - the real thing! (sips) Ah, that's good. The taste worth betraying your country for!" How much would Coke pay for that?
• Plus, cutting Rove from the herd would be a political masterstroke for the President. I think his popularity could go back up to 90% if he were to punish one of his own who betrayed the country, thus showing that he is decisive about cleaning his own house, and is always placing the country over petty personal matters and partisan politics!

All kidding aside: even if Rove did provide the leak, it is questionable whether he committed any crime. He may have, but the entire issue hinges on his intent.

• It would not be treason unless he was attempting to advance the cause of the enemy (not likely).
• It would not even be criminal unless it can be proved that he knew Valerie Plame to be a covert agent. Bob Novak has stated that he thought Plame to be an analyst at the CIA, not a covert operative — the difference being that identifying an analyst is not a crime because they are not undercover. Rove might make the same claim.
• At this time there is no point in speculating about perjury since (a) it is still not certain that Rove was the leaker; and (b) even if he was the leaker, nobody really seems to know for sure what he said (or didn't say) to the grand jury.